Air conditioning apparatus



Feb. 2/, 11%? N. LAM mwmm AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 8, 1965HEB,

INVENTOR 7 Nikoiaus Loing all, M

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,302,426 AIR CQNDITIGNING APPARATUSNikolaus Laing, 35 Hofener Weg, Aldingen, near tuttgart, Germany FiledDec. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 512,472 Claims. (Cl. 62-426) This inventionrelates to room air conditioning apparatus and to heat exchangeapparatus which may form part of the room air conditioning apparatus ina preferred form thereof but which may also be made use ofindedependently.

Room air conditioning apparatus, as the term will be used herein,comprises two heat exchanger blocks cooperating with a compressor toform a refrigerator wherein one block forms the condenser and the otherthe evaporator, air from a room being circulated by one blower throughthe one heat exchanger block and air from the outside atmosphere beingcirculated by another blower through the other heat exchanger block.Commonly, the heat exchanger block forming the evaporator is within theroom so as to cool it, the other heat exchanger block forming thecondenser and rejecting heat to the exterior. However the reversearrangement is possible, the apparatus then functioning as a a heatpump.

Hitherto it has been the general practice in the air conditioning art toair condition a room either by means of a central plant common to thewhole building of which the room forms part, or by means of individualroom units each forming a separate self-contained air conditionerapparatus; the latter alternative has generally been regarded as theonly practical possibility for older buildings not designed for airconditioning. A room air conditioner unit is bulky, and where and how toinstall it is often a problem. In my Patent 3,200,609 there is describeda room air conditioner unit having a relatively compact block-like formwhich can be installed in an opening in an outside wall of the room.However, it is often not convenient to make an aperture in the Wall, forexample it may endanger the stability of the building or it may beunduly difiicult and expensive as with some concrete walls, or it may beobjectionable visually; these considerations will apply particularlywhen it is desired to air condition an existing building.

By contrast with previous concepts the invention provides room airconditioning apparatus comprising refrigeration apparatus having acondenser, an evaporator and a compressor connected in a closedrefrigerant circuit; two heat-exchanger/blower units are provided, theheat exchanger of one unit forming said condenser and the heat exchangerof the other unit forming said evaporator, the blower of each unitcausing an air flow through the respective heat exchanger to effectexchange of heat between the refrigerant therein and said air flow; andone of said heat exchanger/blower units is located inside the room andthe other outside it. The only aperture required in the wall of the roomis a hole sufficient for a small-bore refrigerant pipe, which canreadily be bored with a drill. The heat exchanger/blower units may belocated as desired, both inside the room and outside it, and also thecompressor maybe separately located, e.g., in a soundproof compartment;this provides a degree of flexibility in the installation of theapparatus which with conventional units has been unobtainable.

My prior mentioned patent discloses a heat exchanger/ blower unit basedon the concept of inducing the air fiow through a rectangular heatexchanger block by means of a cross-flow blower disposed oppositethereto having its rotor parallel to one side edge of the block, theblower being such as to turn the air flow through an angle exceeding 90between inlet and outlet areas disposed both on "ice the same side ofthe apparatus. The air may thus be made to flow through the heatexchanger over substantially the whole area thereof; flow between inletand outlet may he made to take place at least approximately in planesperpendicular to the rotor axis, the deflection of flow in such planesoccurring at least to a large extent within the rotor and without theenergy losses associated with ducting.

A cross-flow blower as above mentioned is understood herein to comprisea bladed cylindrical rotor and guide means co-operating with the rotoron rotation thereof to induce a flow of air from an entry side of therotor through the path of the rotating blades to the interior of therotor and hence again through the path of the rotating blades to adischarge side of the rotor.

The present invention in its preferred form makes use of the concepts ofmy earlier invention. However, in forms of heat exchanger/blower unitillustrated in my above mentioned prior patent the rotor is locatedopposite one side edge of the heat exchanger and the rear wall of theapparatus defines with end walls and the heat exchanger air circulationof narrow generally triangular form with the rotor, opposite the apex ofthe triangle. This narrow triangular air circulation space enables twoheat exchanger/ blower units to be arranged back to back in a casing toform the compact block-like room air conditioner unit previouslymentioned. which forms the preferred embodiment of my earlier invention.

By contrast with the heat exchanger/blower unit of my above-mentionedprior patent, that of the present invention comprises a casing in thegeneral form as seen in section of a right angled triangle with theright angle rounded off and the heat exchanger across the hypotenuse,and the blower is a cross flow blower with its rotor in the casingadjacent the rounded-elf right angle and extending the length of theheat exchanger and setting up an air flow in through one part of theheat exchanger, through the rotor and out through the other part of theheat exchanger. Such a heat exchange/blower unit may advantageously formone of the units of the room air conditioning apparatus of my invention,and is well suited to location in the angle formed by the ceiling andone wall of the room, one side of the triangle lying ad jacent theceiling and the other against the wall. In this way the unit occupiesvirtually no useful space, and is ideally placed to draw in and cool thehottest air in the room, and to deliver the cooled air in a mannerpromoting favourable air circulation in the room and also thephysiological comfort of the occupants of the room.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross-section of one outside wall of a roomshowing apparatus for air conditioning the room installed on the wall,and

FIGURE 2 is an elevation of one heat exchanger/ blower unit forming partof the air conditioner apparatus, with a portion broken away to showinterior parts.

Referring to the drawing, part of an outside wall of a room R is show atW, together with the ceiling C of the room.

Room air conditioning apparatus is shown comprising a pair of generallysimilar heat exchanger/blower units designated generally 1, 2 eachincluding respectively a rectangular heat exchanger block 3 and a crossflow blower 5 mounted within a casing 7, the unit 1 being mounted in theroom in the corner formed by the ceiling C and wall W, and the unit 2being mounted outside the room under a hood 9 which protects it from theweather. The air conditioning apparatus further comprises a coma pressor1d illustrated only diagrammatically and connected by piping 11 with theheat exchanger block 3 in a closed circuit, so that these elements forma refrigeration apparatus wherein the heat exchanger block 3 on the roomside of unit 1 forms the evaporator and the heat exchanger block of theexternal unit 2 the condenser: the piping extends through a bored hole12 in the wall W.

The casing 7 of each heat exchanger/ blower unit 1, 2 comprises a pairof parallel vertical end walls 13, 14 and a rear wall 15 extendingbetween them and having horizontal and vertical portions 16, 17interconnected by a rounded intermediate portion 18. The casing 7 issubdivided by a vertical partition wall 19 parallel to the end wallsinto a main compartment 20 and a motor compartment 21. The heatexchanger block 3 extends across the main compartment 20 between thewalls 13, 19 and between the free edges of the rear wall 15. Incrosssection through the main compartment 20 the casing 7 defines an aircirculation space 22 which has the form of a right-angled triangle withthe right angle rounded off and the heat exchanger block 3 across thehypotenuse.

The horizontal rear wall portion 16 is shorter than the vertical portion17, and the upper acute angle of the triangle is smaller than the lowerangle. The cross flow blower has its rotor 23 in the larger part of theair circulation space 22, i.e., nearer the upper acute angle of thetriangle and adjacent the Wall portion 16. The rotor 23 comprises aseries of similar forwardly curved blades 24 supported on end discs 25one of which is mounted flexibly (as by a rubber bushing, not shown) onthe end of the shaft of a motor 25 in the motor compartment 21, theother end disc being mounted flexibly on an end bearing (not shown)carried by the casing end wall 13. The rotor 23 extends substantiallythe whole distance between the walls 13, 19: when energized the motor 25rotates the rotor 23 in the direction of the arrow 23a.

A guide wall 26 extends the length of the main compartment 20 andtowards the rotor 23 from the heat exchanger block 3 which it dividesinto a larger rectangular inlet portion 27 and a smaller rectangularoutlet portion 28. The guide wall 26 comprises an outlet portion 29defining with the vertical rear wall portion 17 a diffuser 30 leadingfrom the rotor 23 to the outlet portion 28 of the heat exchanger block3. Adjacent the rotor 23 the guide wall 26 has a portion 31 which isbent back towards the heat exchanger block and defines with the rotor agap 32 which in the embodiment shown is slightly convergent in thedirection of rotor rotation. The guide wall 26 and the rear wall 17,which are both well spaced from the rotor 23, form guide means whichco-operate with the rotor on rotation thereof in the direction of thearrow 23a to set up and stabilize a vortex of Rankine type having a coreregion interpenetrating the path of the rotating blades of the rotoradjacent the guide wall portion 31, this core region being indicatedschematically at V. The vortex sets up a flow of air through the inletportion 27 of the heat exchanger block 3, twice through the path of therotating blades of the rotor 23, and through the diifuser 30 and theoutlet portion 28 of the block: the lines F indicate schematically thegeneral direction of air flow, which takes place in vertical planesparallel to the end walls 13, 19 of the main compartment 20.

The above-described arrangement of the heat exchanger blower unit 1 iswell adapted for its position in the corner formed by the ceiling C andwall W. Physically the unit 1 takes up a minimum of space, with thevertical and horizontal portions 16, 17 of its rear wall close againstthe ceiling and wall. From the air flow point of view, the heatexchanger block inlet portion 27 is ideally placed to take warm air fromadjacent the ceiling, where it collects by natural convection, anddischarge it after cooling in a generally downward direction outwardlyfrom the wall W, so as to promote air circulation in the room and thecomfort of its occupants.

The compressor 10 has been shown purely diagrammatically and may be ofconventional type. While it may be convenient to have the compressorseparate from the heat exchanger/blower units, for example so that itcan be installed in a sound-insulated enclosure, it is to be understoodthat the compressor can also if desired form part of one of the heatexchanger/blower units. Thus the motor compartment may be enlarged tocontain the compressor.

The room air conditioning apparatus described may be used as a heat pumpto warm the room, by putting the condenser in the room and theevaporator outside it. The heat exchangers can be made interchangeablein function, and reversing valves provided so that the same apparatuscan serve alternatively for cooling or heating the room.

I claim:

1. Room air conditioning apparatus comprising refrigeration apparatushaving a condenser, an evaporator and a compressor connected in a closedrefrigerant circuit; two heat exchanger blower units and the heatexchanger of one unit forming said condenser and the heat exchanger ofthe other unit forming said evaporator, the blower of each unit causingan air flow through the respective heat exchanger to effect exchange ofheat between the refrigerant therein and said air flow, one of saidunits being inside the room and the other outside the room, and whereinat least one heat exchanger blower unit comprises a casing in thegeneral form as seen in section of a right angled triangle with theright angle rounded off and the heat exchanger across the hypotenuse,and the blower is a cross flow blower with its rotor in the casingadjacent the rounded off right angle and extending the length of theheat exchanger and setting up an air flow in through one part of theheat exchanger, through the rotor and out through the other part of theheat exchanger.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein of the two acute angles insaid right-angled triangle one is larger than the other and the rotorlies adjacent to said larger angle.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said one part of the heatexchanger is larger than said other part.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one heat exchanger/blower unit is mounted immediately under the ceiling of the room, withone side of said triangle adjacent thereto and the other against anadjacent wall surface.

5. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a casing having end walls and arear wall extending between the end walls and having two portions at aright angle to one another joined by a rounded intermediate portion, arectangular heat exchanger block extending across the casing between theend wall and the rear wall, a cylindrical bladed rotor within the casingextending between the end walls, a guide wall extending between the heatexchanger and the rotor on the side thereof opposite the roundedintermediate rear wall portion and dividing the heat exchanger blockinto an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the rotor on rotation in agiven direction co-operating with the guide wall and rear wall to set upa flow of air transverse to the rotor axis through the inlet portion ofthe heat exchanger block, twice through the path of the rotating bladesof the rotor and out through the outlet portion of the heat exchangerblock.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the outlet portion of theheat exchanger block is smaller than the inlet portion thereof.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein one of said rear wallportions is smaller than the other and said rotor is mounted nearer saidsmaller portion.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the guide wall and rear walldefine a difiuser leading to the outlet portion of the heat exchangerblock.

9. For mounting in an angle, heat exchange apparatus comprising a casinghaving generally parallel end walls and a rear wall the casing as seenin cross section having the general form of a right angled triangle withthe right angle rounded oil, a rectangular heat exchanger block acrossthe front of the casing and forming the hypotenuse of the triangle,guide wall means extending between the end walls and towards saidrounded-ofi right angle from midway in the heat exchanger block anddividing the latter into an inlet portion and an outlet portion and abladed cylindrical rotor co-operating with said rear wall and guide wallmeans on rotation in a given direction to induce a flow of airtransverse to the rotor axis through the inlet portion of the heatexchanger block, twice through the path of the rotating blades of therotor and out through the outlet portion of the heat exchanger block.

10. For mounting in an angle, heat exchange apparatus comprising acasing having generally parallel end walls and a rear wall the casing asseen in cross section having the general form of a right angledtriangle, a rectangular heat exchanger block across the front of thecasing and forming the hypotenuse of the triangle, guide wall meansextending between the end walls and towards the right angle from midwayin the heat exchanger block and dividing the latter into an inletportion and an outlet portion and a bladed cylindrical rotor cooperatingwith said rear wall and guide Wall means on rotation in a givendirection to induce a flow of air transverse to the rotor axis throughthe inlet portion of the heat exchanger block, twice through the path ofthe rotating blades of the rotor and out through the outlet portion ofthe heat exchanger block.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,712,737 7/1955Palmer 62-263 2,942,773 6/1960 Eck 230125 3,178,100 4/1965 Datwyler230-125 WILLIAMJ. WYE, Primary Examiner.

1. ROOM AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS COMPRISING REFRIGERATION APPARATUSHAVING A CONDENSER, AN EVAPORATOR AND A COMPRESSOR CONNECTED IN A CLOSEDREFRIGERANT CIRCUIT; TWO HEAT EXCHANGER BLOWER UNITS AND THE HEATEXCHANGER OF ONE UNIT FORMING SAID CONDENSER AND THE HEAT EXCHANGER OFTHE OTHER UNIT FORMING SAID EVAPORATOR, THE BLOWER OF EACH UNIT CAUSINGAN AIR FLOW THROUGH THE RESPECTIVE HEAT EXCHANGER TO EFFECT EXCHANGE OFHEAT BETWEEN THE REFRIGERANT THEREIN AND SAID AIR FLOW, ONE OF SAIDUNITS BEING INSIDE THE ROOM AND THE OTHER OUTSIDE THE ROOM, AND WHEREINAT LEAST ONE HEAT EXCHANGER BLOWER UNIT COMPRISES A CASING IN THEGENERAL FORM AS SEEN IN SECTION OF A RIGHT ANGLED TRIANGLE WITH THERIGHT ANGLE ROUNDED OFF AND THE HEAT EXCHANGER ACROSS THE HYPOTENUSE,AND THE BLOWER IS A CROSS FLOW BLOWER WITH ITS ROTOR IN THE CASINGADJACENT THE ROUNDED OFF RIGHT ANGLE AND EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF THEHEAT EXCHANGER AND SETTING UP AN AIR FLOW IN THROUGH ONE PART OF THEHEAT EXCHANGER, THROUGH THE ROTOR AND OUT THROUGH THE OTHER PART OF THEHEAT EXCHANGER.